This passage expresses David’s confidence in the LORD as he faced many trials and the fears that come with them. He begins the 27th Psalm by saying,
“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid” (Psalm 27:1).
I suspect that at one time or another we have all experienced fears that tend to incapacitate us. And those fears can come from individuals as well as from unexpected events. David was no exception, and he recognized the fact that during those times we need courage to face our fears. But how do we do that? David found that the secret of finding courage was not in his own strength or resources, but in God, in whom he placed his trust.
In this passage, David portrays God as the One who gives him “light,” suggesting the challenge of being lost in “darkness” and finding a way forward into the “light.” David’s confidence did not depend on knowing the details of the future, but in trusting the One who would guide him each step of the way into the future.
David also portrays God as the One who is his “salvation.” The Hebrew word for “salvation” is not always to be understood in a spiritual sense, but in the sense of deliverance from the real dangers that he faced from real enemies. This verse gives us the sense that David trusted God to provide a “way through” his circumstances, not an “escape from” them.
And David also portrays God as the One who is his “stronghold” in times of trouble. In David’s day, a “stronghold” was a fortified place of refuge or defense, and David realized that his “stronghold” was in God alone and that he would find safety and security from his trials.
So, how do we respond to the fears that we face? David provides the answer in this verse from the 27th Psalm. David went to God in prayer, making confident declarations that God is his “light” who will make the way ahead clear; that God is his “salvation” who will deliver him from danger and from his enemies; and that God is his “stronghold” who will provide a place of safety and security. In short, David went to God in prayer, expressing each of these declarations that he knew would produce the courage and confidence he needed to face the fears that tended to overwhelm him.
So, friends, when we face trials and the uncertainties of life, let’s not dwell on our difficulties and the fears they tend to produce, but let’s turn our hearts to God in prayer, making confident declarations of our trust in Him to be our guide, our deliverer, and our refuge. In fact, why not do it now? There is no reason to put it off!
Sincerely, Jim Price
